Typical bed systems include a mattress supported above a floor surface by a mattress support. As is widely known, mattresses come in certain sizes, such as twin, full, queen, and king, by way of example, each having a respective width between sides and a respective length between the head and the foot thereof. One popular type of mattress support is a platform bed. Platform beds have an aesthetic style that is regarded by some as desirable. Platform beds are formed by rigidly joining together rigid wood panels that form a solid frame on which the mattress is supported, with the panels resting upon and extending upwardly from a floor surface to above the bottom edge of the mattress. The panels thus completely surround the bottom exterior of the mattress while also blocking off access, visually and otherwise, to the area below the mattress. The panels on the sides of the mattress must have a length corresponding to the length of the mattress, and the panels at the head and/or foot must have a width corresponding to the width of the mattress so that the mattress can be received therebetween. The panels must also be able to support the full weight of the mattress and any people and/or things thereon. The exterior aspects of the panels of the platform bed present an aesthetically desirable appearance due, typically, to the wood grain and/or staining thereof. But platform beds are generally very expensive, thus limiting their availability in many settings. Moreover, they are typically also quite heavy which limits the ability of their owners to move them around within a bedroom as desired.
A much lower cost, and more easily transportable mattress support, is provided by a simple, metal bed frame. The bed frame is typically characterized by L-shaped side rails that are spaced apart to match the width of the mattress with an exterior portion sitting astride the edges of the mattress, or a foundation supporting and sized to match the mattress. The side rails are joined by lateral rails to define the bed frame, but the side rails are typically shorter than the length of the mattress so as not to project out to or beyond the foot end of the mattress supported thereon. The mattress may be placed directly on the frame, or a box spring or foundation may be placed on the bed frame with the mattress supported thereon. The mattress is thus supported above the floor surface, but with a much less costly and lighter form of mattress support than that provided by a platform bed. But, these simple bed frames present their own drawbacks. For example, the frame may have legs that rest on the floor surface, but the area below the mattress is otherwise exposed and open. And the frames themselves, to the extent they present an exterior portion, such as the side rails and/or flanges, are not particularly desirable from an aesthetic standpoint.